The Earthquakes on Monday made their first big move under Bruce Arena, bringing in several players the team’s new coach knows well.
In a trade with the New England Revolution, the Quakes acquired center back Dave Romney and midfielders Mark-Anthony Kaye and Ian Harkes in exchange for $500,000 in general allocation money and a 2025 international roster spot. Arena coached all three players in New England, where he led the Revolution from 2019-2023.
“Dave is a proven defender who has excelled in this league, while Ian and Mark-Anthony will provide versatility and valuable experience to our midfield,” Arena said in a team release.
Romney, 31, also played under Arena with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2015 and ’16 and will be returning to the Bay Area after playing collegiately at San Francisco from 2011-2014. After playing the second-most minutes in MLS over the last five seasons with Nashville and New England, Romney may help stabilize a Quakes defense that allowed an MLS-worst 2.29 goals per match in 2024.
Kaye was a 2019 MLS All-Star with Los Angeles FC and has since bounced from Colorado to Toronto and New England. The 30-year-old played in 21 matches last season, including 15 starts, but made no goal contributions. His production has dipped since a three-goal, four-assist 2022 season in Colorado, totaling just six goal contributions over 60 games in the last four years.
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Harkes is the youngest player of the trio at 29 and has only been back in MLS for the last two seasons after five seasons in Scotland, where he helped Dundee United gain promotion to the Premiership in 2020. He scored one goal — a penalty kick — last season in 27 matches (17 starts) after scoring twice in nine games during his first year back stateside. His father, John Harks, played under Arena at the University of Virginia, for D.C. United and the U.S. men’s national team.
The Quakes will send New England $250,000 in general allocation money for each of the next two seasons. In 2024, teams received $2.585 million in general allocation from the league. Teams each were granted eight international roster spots last season to fill with a player or trade elsewhere. The 2025 allocations have not been released by MLS.
